Operating room nurses at Guy’s and St. Thomas strike over longer shift times

Day-care theatre nurses at two central London hospitals will go on strike after their bosses extended their shifts by an hour, the Unite union said on Monday.

The union said 50 workers at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ would go on strike on June 27 and July 2 after their shift finish was extended from 8pm to 9pm.

It was threatened that further strike action was planned if the conflict could not be resolved.

Nurses report that they are already chronically overworked due to the initial shift extension from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. – some employees even have to work on Saturdays to cover additional surgical lists.

Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite, said: “The surgical nurses at Guy’s and St Thomas were already at the end of their tether. They were working beyond their shifts to ensure patients received appropriate care.”

“Our members understand the pressure the NHS is under, but the solution is to keep staff working until they collapse.

“The leadership of Guy’s and St Thomas must find another way. Unite is determined to protect jobs, pay and working conditions and workers at Guy’s and St Thomas have the full support of the union throughout this dispute.”

Guy’s and St Thomas’ in central London record around 2.6 million patient encounters each year, making it one of the busiest NHS trusts in the UK.

Hospital staff warned that extending shift times would endanger patient safety.

One operating room nurse said: “Staff in the day surgery departments at Guy’s and St Thomas’s hospitals are striking because they are fed up with their concerns about burnout and patient safety being repeatedly ignored by managers.”

“The situation has now reached a critical point and nurses feel they have no choice but to go on strike to protect themselves and their patients.”

Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust has been contacted for comment.